Arizona Diamondbacks

D-backs lack toughness

It’s painfully obvious what should be atop the D-backs shopping list leading up to the trade deadline: a goon.

Yes, I’m giving free advice to the D-backs, not the Coyotes.

And no, Calvisi Consulting has not confused Kevin Towers with Don Maloney.

It’s real simple: if the D-backs are going to fight the Dodgers down the stretch, they need to restore the fight.

Right now, the Dodgers are stealing the D-backs’ milk money. If somebody doesn’t step in, I’m about to dial 1-800-Call-Bud and report a bully.

See, here’s what else is painfully obvious ever since Base-brawl: the Dodgers won that fight and stole the D-backs’ swagger from this matchup.

Instead of Beat LA …it’s become Beatdown LA. And the D-backs are playing the role of Anderson Silva, flat on their collective back after too much talking/taunting and not enough striking/scoring.

Look at it this way: who’s the toughest guy on the D-backs team? Alas, he just accepted an assignment to AAA Reno. Don’t forget, during the melee, Eric Hinske locked horns with Yasiel Puig. Hinske put the ‘back’ into D-back because he had the backs of his teammates.

Who’s that personal protector now? Who’s that tough guy?

Honestly, the guy I’d least like to tangle with is the skipper.

Heck, until the brawl, we figured ain’t nobody messin’ with Gibby-ball. Uh, until Mark McGwire did just that and got right in Gibby’s grill. Advantage Dodgers.

What the D-backs are currently missing against the Dodgers isn’t something you can find in a box score or a sabermetrician’s pocket protector. It’s a willingness to compete…to the point of combat, if needed.

Against the Dodgers, it doesn’t appear the D-backs still have that belief. They’ve been Puig’d…err, Punked.